Other Issues

Sen. Bam to join ‘The Resistance’, genuine opposition slate

Senator Bam Aquino insisted that he will join a genuine opposition slate for the 2019 midterm elections, saying the country needs a coalition that is willing to dissent and oppose government policies that are not helpful or even detrimental to the Filipino people.
 
In a television interview, Sen. Bam clarified that he has never spoken to Sen. Koko Pimentel about PDP-Laban or Mayor Sara Duterte about Hugpong ng Pagbabago. 
 
“In 2019, hindi lang ‘The Force’ kailangan, we need ‘The Resistance’ – a genuine opposition slate. Kailangan ng mga taong magsasama-sama, magtutulong-tulong para labanan ang polisiya ng administrasyon na nakakasakit sa tao. You will find me on that slate,” said Sen. Bam.
 
“You need a slate that’s independent from PDP-Laban, that’s willing to oppose, willing to stand up even if it’s unpopular, and even when it’s dangerous. Kailangan natin ng oposisyon para sa ating demokrasya,” the senator added.
 
Sen. Bam said the Liberal Party (LP) will join the coalition slate, which will be made up of people willing to speak out and stand up against Malacanang’s policies that may be damaging to the people.
 
“The people willing to answer the call should join forces,” Sen. Bam pointed out.
 
Sen. Bam also stressed the importance for the 2019 elections to push through to show the true sentiment of the people.
 
“Let’s fight any no-election scenario that might be in the works,” Sen. Bam said.
 
However, Sen. Bam said it’s too early to talk about politics, saying the country is facing problems that need to be addressed immediately.
 
“Mas maraming isyu na dapat pag-usapan ngayon kaysa sa pulitika at eleksiyon, na isang taon pa bago mangyari,” said Sen. Bam.

Sen. Bam to gov’t agencies: Don’t make poor Filipinos wait further for affordable rice

The National Food Authority (NFA) and other concerned government agencies should get their acts together swiftly to normalize the supply of affordable rice in the market for poor Filipinos, according to Sen. Bam Aquino.

“Ang problemang ito, hindi na puwedeng maghintay at ito ang pakiramdam ng maraming Pilipino. At the soonest possible time, dapat magkaroon na ng mas murang bigas sa merkado,” said Sen. Bam during an urban poor sector meeting in Tondo, Manila together with Vice President Leni Robredo.

“Iyong papahintayin mo ang kapwa Pilipino na tatlong buwan, anim na buwan, hindi na acceptable iyon kasi isang taon na po itong mismanagement na nangyayari,” added Sen. Bam, referring to the NFA’s failure to meet the 15-day buffer stock for NFA Rice since March of last year.

Sen. Bam said the NFA and the NFA Council should iron out their differences and address the lack of supply of NFA Rice in the market so as to spare the public from high prices of rice in the market.

“Sila ang nag-aaway pero tayo ang nagkakaproblema. Sana magkasundo na at nang maaral ang pinaka-mainam na paraan sa lalong madaling panahon upang mabigyan na ng murang bigas ang ating mahihirap na kababayan,” said Sen. Bam.

Sen. Bam said poor families have to spend an additional P500 a month as they have no other option but to purchase commercial rice, due to lack of NFA Rice in the market. 

“Batay sa pag-aaral, 20 porsiyento ng gastos ng pamilyang Pilipino ay napupunta sa bigas kaya mahalagang magkaroon na ng solusyon dito. Kaya babantayan natin ito hanggang magkaroon na sila ng solusyon dito,” Sen. Bam stressed.

Sen. Bam, who has been actively participating in the Senate hearing on issues hounding the NFA, called for the resignation of NFA administrator Jason Aquino for his failure to ensure the supply of NFA Rice for poor Filipinos.

“Maglagay tayo ng tao na kayang gawin ang mandato ng NFA, at iyong ang pagkakaroon ng murang bigas sa merkado at hindi gagawa ng kung anu-anong rason,” said Sen. Bam.

Sen. Bam: Employment rights for military reserve forces gets full support of Senate

The Senate on Monday passed on third and final reading the measure that will provide job security and other benefits for military reservists, according to its principal sponsor and co-author, Sen. Bam Aquino.
 
Via 16-0 vote with no abstention, the Senate approved Senate Bill No. 1698 or the Reservist Employment Rights Act, which promotes the welfare of military reservists in return for their service to the country.
 
“Ito’y pagkilala natin sa malaking tulong ng ating reservist sa militar, lalo na kapag may kalamidad at sa paglaban sa terorismo,” said Sen. Bam. 
 
Sen. Bam said reservists played a key role in the fight to free Marawi City from the clutches of the Maute Group and in rescue and rehabilitation efforts during calamities.
 
Sen. Bam pushed for the bill’s passage after he was informed during dialogues with members and officials of the Army Reserve Command that some reservists are in danger of losing their jobs as they perform their duty to the country.
 
“While they risk their lives for the country, they are at risk of losing their livelihood, which should not be the case,” said Sen. Bam, referring to reservists who are entrepreneurs, I.T. professionals, teachers, doctors, lawyers, nurses, sales agents, security guards and employees of different government agencies.
 
If enacted into law, the Reservist Employment Rights Act will ensure proper training and compensation for reservists, on top of protection from discrimination in job hiring, reintegration, promotion, or any benefit of employment.
 
The measure also protects reservists who suffer any injury or disability during their service, ensuring their reintegration to the civilian work force, so long as they can perform the essential function of their original employment.
 
“Our reservists chose to put their lives on the line for our safety and security. We owe it to them to professionalize the Reserve Force and assure them their employment rights,” stressed Sen. Bam.

Sen. Bam Aquino on DOJ’s failure to uphold justice

Sa loob ng isang linggo, napalaya ng Department of Justice ang mga drug lord at naipasok ang reyna ng pork barrel scam sa witness protection program.

Nasaan ang hustisya para sa mga biktima ng War on Drugs at para sa taumbayang nanakawan ng pinaghirapang yaman?

We’d like to remind the DOJ that their mandate is to enact justice for the Filipino people, not to protect drug lords and criminal masterminds.

For the ordinary Filipino to have any hope for justice, the DOJ must stop perpetrating the culture of impunity in our country and begin upholding the rule of law.

The President should put his house in order. Secretary Aguirre should resign to give way to a credible and capable Justice Secretary.

Sen. Bam: Freedom for drug lords a grave injustice to over 20,000 dead

Ano pa ang halaga ng pagpatay sa libu-libo nating kababayan, kung pakakawalan din lang ang mismong pinagmumulan ng droga? 

Ngayong pinalaya na ang drug lord na tumestigo at umamin sa kaniyang paglahok sa drug trade, may duda sa giyera kontra droga ng administrasyon.

Sa pagpapalaya ng mga nahuling drug lord, klaro na ang tokhang ay para lamang sa mga mahihirap na Pilipino at hindi para sa may pera at koneksiyon.

Ang hustisya sa bayan ay tila para sa iilan lamang at hindi para sa bawat Pilipino.

Tama na ang pagpatay sa kapwa Pilipino. Itigil na ang pagpatay sa mga mahihirap nating kababayan.

Sen. Bam on quo warranto case vs Chief Justice Sereno

Handa na ang Senado na maging isang tapat na husgado na walang kinikilingan.

Klaro sa Konstitusyon at klaro sa amin na impeachment process lang ang makakapag-alis sa isang Chief Justice.

A Supreme Court decision to uphold the Constitution and follow due process can only strengthen the institution and our country’s democracy.

Sen. Bam to gov’t: Where is financial assistance for rising prices?

With effects of the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) Act now being felt by the public coupled with the rise in the price of rice and lack of affordable NFA rice in the market, Sen. Bam Aquino urged the government to immediately implement the cash transfer program for poor Filipinos.

“Tumataas na ang presyo ng mga bilihin dahil sa tax reform, na sinabayan pa ng pagkawala ng NFA Rice sa merkado. Nasaan na ang financial assistance para sa mga mahihirap na pamilyang Pilipino?” said Sen. Bam.

 Sen. Bam made the pronouncement amid the increase in prices of basic goods due to TRAIN and the sudden rise in prices of rice in the market due to lack of supply of NFA Rice.

The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) also announced on Tuesday that the country’s inflation rate in February was at 4.5 percent, the fastest in over three years.

 “Masyado nang mabigat ang pasaning dala ng ating mga kababayan dahil sa pagtaas ng presyo ng bilihin. Panahon na upang madaliin ng pamahalaan ang paglabas ng tulong para sa sampung milyong mahihirap nating kababayan,” said Sen. Bam.

 Sen. Bam was referring to the financial assistance mandated by Republic Act No. 10963 or TRAIN Act to 10 million poor Filipinos to counter the expected increase in prices of goods. In 2018, they will receive P200 monthly followed by a P300 monthly cash subsidy in 2019 and 2010.

 During the measure’s period of amendments in the Senate, Sen. Bam pushed for the immediate implementation of the financial assistance program to help poor Filipinos absorb the expected increase in the prices of goods and services.

However, Sen. Bam’s proposal was not accepted, prompting him to reject the ratification of the measure.

 Recently, Sen. Bam filed Senate Resolution No. 597, urging the appropriate Senate committee to scrutinize the implementation of the unconditional cash transfer to ensure that it is sufficient to cover the increase in prices of goods and other services.

 In his resolution, Sen. Bam also called on the National Economic Development Authority (NEDA) to check if household incomes are enough to absorb these rising costs.

“Gusto rin natin alamin kung sapat na ang 200 pesos kada buwan na cash transfer, lalo na ngayong tumataas na rin ang presyo ng kuryente at bigas,” said Sen. Bam.

 

Sen. Bam supports military through Reservist Employment Rights bill

A measure promoting the welfare of military reservists has passed the committee level and is now up for plenary deliberations in the Senate.

In his co-sponsorship speech for Senate Bill No. 1698 or the Reservist Employment Rights Act, Sen. Bam Aquino underscored the importance of reservists in today’s issues, such as disaster preparedness and the anti-terrorism drive.

“Now, more than ever, the AFP needs a dedicated, experienced and sophisticated reserve force – comparable to the Reserve Forces of other great nations,” said Sen. Bam, the co-sponsor and co-author of Senate Bill No. 1698.

The measure was a fruit of Sen. Bam’s dialogues with members and officials of the Army Reserve Command and other government officials and hearing he spearheaded as sub-committee chairman of the Committee on Labor.

During the course of his dialogue with reservists, Sen. Bam discovered that some of the reservists are entrepreneurs, I.T. professionals, teachers, doctors, lawyers, nurses, sales agents, security guards and employees of different government agencies.

Sen. Bam said some of the reservists are in danger of losing their jobs while doing great service to the country. “While they risk their lives for the country, they are at risk of losing their livelihood, which should not be the case,” said Sen. Bam.

The Reservist Employment Rights Act will ensure proper training and compensation for reservists, on top of protection from discrimination in job hiring, reintegration, promotion, or any benefit of employment.

“We must pass this measure to guarantee that at the end of their required military service, reservists will be reinstated to their civilian careers, and to an equivalent position without loss of seniority or decreased pay,” said Sen. Bam.

The measure also protects reservists who suffer any injury or disability during their service, ensuring their reintegration to the civilian work force, so long as they can perform the essential function of their original employment.

“Our reservists chose to put their lives on the line for our safety and security. We owe it to them to professionalize the Reserve Force and assure them their employment rights,” stressed Sen. Bam.

Sen. Bam on DFA’s decision to contest China-named features in the Philippine Rise

DFA’s declaration to contest the China-named features is one step toward safeguarding Philippine territory.

We hope they will follow through on the nullification of these Chinese names in Philippine Rise.

China has violated our sovereign rights in discovering these features and must not be given the honor of naming them.

Inaasahan natin na ipaglalaban na ng administrasyon ang Philippine Rise at susuportahan ang ating mga scientists sa pagsasagawa ng independent research sa ating teritoryo.

Sen. Bam calls for resignation of NFA officials in light of rice fiasco

Senator Bam Aquino has called for the resignation of National Food Authority (NFA) administrator Jason Aquino and top officials, saying that they have failed to ensure food security for the Filipino people, especially the poor.

“We are talking about food security for the poorest Filipino families. We need someone who can get the job done,” said Sen. Bam after attending the hearing of the Committee on Agriculture and Food on the issue of NFA rice.

During the hearing, Sen. Bam stressed that poor Filipinos will have to spend P500 more a month for rice until June due to the NFA’s failure to ensure the supply of affordable NFA Rice in the market.

”Ang 27 pesos per kilo ng bigas noon ay 42 pesos na. Limandaang piso ang dagdag nito sa gastusin ng pamilyang Pilipino kada buwan kung isang kilong bigas ang kanilang nakokonsumo bawat araw. Nangyari ito dahil nabigo ang NFA na mapanatili ang mandated 15-day buffer stock,” said Sen. Bam.

During Sen. Bam’s questioning, the NFA administrator admitted that the agency has failed to comply with the 15-day buffer stock policy for almost one year. With no lower-priced rice available in the market, prices of rice skyrocketed, making the expensive variety the only available option for Filipinos. 

Worse, the NFA administrator admitted the country’s current buffer stock for NFA rice is just 1.7 days, much to the dismay of Sen. Bam and the other Senators present. 

“Dahil sa kapalpakan ng NFA, tumataas ang presyo ng bigas. Isang taon nilang pinayagan na bumaba ang buffer stock natin at nagdulot ito ng pagtaas ng presyo sa merkado,” said Sen. Bam.

The NFA said it expects the imported rice to arrive in June, leaving poor Filipinos with no choice but to settle for rice with prices ranging from P42 to P45 per kilo in the succeeding months. 

“May tatlong pang buwan magdurusa ang ating mga kababayan sa bigas na kuwarenta pataas ang halaga dahil hindi nagawa ng NFA ang trabaho nila,” said Sen. Bam.

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